In general, a biopsy method includes a processing process in which tissue for inspection is put into an embedding cassette and a paraffin solution (formalin) is absorbed into the tissue, an embedding process in which the processed tissue coagulates together with the paraffin solution so as to slice the tissue into a thickness for biopsy, a slicing process in which the embedding cassette provided with the coagulated paraffin solution is fixed to a slicing device so as to slice the coagulated tissue together with the paraffin solution into a section of a predetermined thickness, and an inspection process in which the processed and sliced section s dissolved and inspected.
Here, an embedding assembly for biopsy used in the conventional biopsy method includes an embedding cassette 10 and an embedding mold 20, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 1, and the embedding cassette 10 is placed on or combined with the embedding mold 20 and then used during the embedding process of embedding tissue in paraffin.
Therefore, during the conventional embedding process to manufacture a paraffin tissue block, processed tissue is put into the embedding mold 20, the embedding cassette 10 is seated on the embedding mold 20, and a paraffin solution 11 in a liquid state is supplied to the embedding mold 20 through the embedding cassette 10 so as to fill the embedding mold 20 and then coagulates, thus manufacturing a paraffin tissue block.
However, the embedding process is generally manually carried out and may thus cause several problems.
Among them, one problem occurs during the embedding process in which the paraffin solution is injected into the embedding mold and the embedding cassette so as to embed the tissue.
Since the above-described embedding process is manually carried out and thus a precise amount of the paraffin solution may not be injected into the embedding cassette combined with the embedding mold, the paraffin solution 11 may coagulate under the condition that the paraffin solution 11 overflows the surface of the embedding cassette.
When the paraffin solution 11 coagulates under the condition that the paraffin solution 11 overflows the surface of the embedding cassette 10, a problem during the slicing process may occur.
In the process of slicing the embedded tissue, fixation of the cassette, on which the paraffin solution including the tissue coagulates, to the slicing device and slicing of the fixed paraffin solution including the tissue are repeated and, thus, the tissue embedded in the paraffin solution may be sliced to a thickness necessary for biopsy.
Here, a slicing device 30 includes a fixing unit 31 to fix the embedding cassette and a position adjusting unit 32 to adjust the position of the fixing unit 31, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3.
A slicing unit (not shown) to slice the coagulated paraffin on the embedding cassette 10 fixed to the slicing device 30 is provided on the front surface of the slicing device 30.
Therefore, the process of fixing the embedding cassette 10, on which the paraffin solution coagulates, to the slicing device 30 is very important when the tissue embedded in the coagulated paraffin is sliced.
If the paraffin solution coagulates under the condition that the paraffin solution 11 overflows the upper surface of the embedding cassette and the coagulated paraffin solution protrudes from the upper surface of the embedding cassette, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the slicing device 30 requires a process of adjusting the embedding cassette 10.
That is, fixed states of an embedding cassette without a coagulated paraffin protrusion, an embedding cassette with a large-sized coagulated paraffin protrusion and an embedding cassette with a small-sized coagulated paraffin protrusion to the slicing device 30 are different, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 4.
Therefore, in order to perform an effective slicing operation, additional operations to fix the embedding cassettes of the respective states are required.
If the slicing device is not adjusted, an operation to remove the coagulated paraffin protrusion from the upper surface of the embedding cassette is required.
Further, in the conventional embedding assembly for biopsy used in the biopsy method, since the embedding cassette 10 is simply seated on the embedding mold 20, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 13, the paraffin solution 11 causes separation of the embedding cassette 10 from the embedding mold 20 and, thereby, a gap between the embedding cassette 10 and the embedding mold 20 is generated and the paraffin solution 11 leaks through the gap and overflows onto the side surfaces of the embedding cassette 10.
In such a state, when the paraffin solution 11 coagulates, the paraffin solution 11 on the side surfaces of the embedding cassette 10 coagulates, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 14.
Therefore, the conventional embedding assembly for biopsy may not be directly used in a subsequent process, i.e., the process of slicing the paraffin tissue block, and requires an additional operation to remove the coagulated paraffin from the side surfaces of the embedding cassette.
Conventionally, in order to remove the coagulated paraffin from the side surfaces of the embedding cassette, a flat panel apparatus for removal of paraffin at a high temperature (about 78° C. or more) using properties of paraffin is provided, and a user manually sears the coagulated paraffin on the side surfaces of the embedding cassette 10 with the flat panel apparatus for removal of paraffin at a high temperature, thus being capable of removing the coagulated paraffin from the side surfaces of the embedding cassette 10.
As another method, an automation apparatus for removal of paraffin is used but it is disadvantageous in that a user needs to directly insert the embedding cassette 10 with the coagulated paraffin on the side surfaces thereof into the automation apparatus for removal of paraffin and, thus, a long time is taken and the automation apparatus for removal of paraffin is expensive.
As yet another method, an operator removes the coagulated paraffin using a tool, such as a knife, and, in this case, a time of 5 to 7 seconds per embedding cassette is taken and the operator is in danger.